Today's News

MIDLOTHIAN -- Galax put forth great effort in trying to defend its 2008 Group A golf championship but fell just short at Independence Golf Club on Tuesday. The Maroon Tide shot a second-round 313 to put the pressure on Giles, but the Spartans held on for their first team championship since 2002 with a score of 622, followed by Galax (636) in second and Chatham (643) in third. Radford H

Now and then, a school will purposely schedule a key game for homecoming week in hopes of having a little added motivation. Normally, though, homecoming games are scheduled against the downtrodden, the 0-fers, the patsies. Other than an expected win, the opponent often has little to offer as far as the big picture is concerned.

Welcome to the 2009 playoffs, Galax. Your first-round opponent is Covington. Galax entered the season with every expectation of cruising into the playoffs and giving frontrunners EastMont, Holston and Bath County a run for their money in the Region C Division 1 title chase. The Maroon Tide just didn’t expect the playoffs to begin in October.

Galax remained winless in the Mountain Empire District after another tough loss at home Friday night, falling to Fort Chiswell 31-8. The game began promising for Galax (1-6 overall, 0-2 MED), after the Maroon Tide put up eight quick points on its opening drive. Galax’s offense netted a loss of 1 yard on its first two plays before quarterback Terrance Mazon found Deion George on a

MARION -- Upon delivering the Marion homecoming court to the Carroll County side of Hurricane Stadium, a stretch limousine stood mired in the muck in front of the Cavalier bench until a small gang of Carroll students climbed in the back for ballast and another one crawled in behind the wheel.

INDEPENDENCE — An Independence man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after Grayson County authorities were called to his residence for a domestic dispute.

Grayson Sheriff Richard Vaughan said Rhandell Davis, 55, of Independence, was apprehended around 3:20 p.m. after officers spent roughly 20 minutes searching the woods near his home, just west of Independence on U.S. 58.

Deputies were called to the scene for an alleged domestic dispute, but prior to officers arriving, Davis fled on foot into the woods, allegededly with a rifle.

INDEPENDENCE — After riding out a wave of state financial cuts through local tax increases, Grayson County will once again be forced to dig deeper into its pockets after additional cuts announced by Gov. Tim Kaine.

Earlier this month, Kaine released a plan to close the gap on a $1.35 billion shortfall in the state. The plan called for one day of unpaid leave for most state workers and a reduction in contributions to the state employee pension plan and another withdrawal from the rainy day reserve fund.

HILLSVILLE — A routine traffic stop in Hillsville resulted in the apprehension of a 26-year-old Lawrenceville, Ga., man wanted on federal drug trafficking charges, according to police.

Capt. Jason Hawks watched a 2007 Honda make an improper left turn at Main Street and U.S. 58 at 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 19, police said. Hawks stopped the vehicle and found Timothy Maldonado, who is wanted by the U.S. Marshall Service.

HILLSVILLE — It's about taking it one day at a time, said an emotional Terry Marcum, who, more than a year ago lost her mom, sister and brother-in-law in a collision on Interstate 77 near the Fancy Gap exit.

“Our mom raised me and my siblings to not quit and to keep going,” Marcum said. “We're able to make it through with the love and support of churches and family, and everybody has been good to us.”